Label, ticket and tag printer with interchangeable tape supply and feeding magazine

ABSTRACT

A label, ticket and tag printing and dispensing machine with readily detachable and attachable interchangeable tape supply and feeding magazines, for the optional and selective use of any one of several alternative pre-adjusted tape-feeding magazines, each loaded with a roll of a different size or kind of labels, tickets or tags, thereby to provide maximum and ready variability and range of tape-supply; with each of the several alternative magazines being individually pre-adjusted for the length and width and other characteristics of the label, ticket or tag and in relation to location of the print-impression of the printer. Each magazine holds a roll of labels, tickets or tags and includes a self-contained tape-feeder for intermittently feeding the tape from the roll in the magazine in label, ticket or tag lengths in timed relation to the printing sequence of the printer portion. The printer portion includes a tape-feeder cam or several alternative tape-feeder cams. The tape-feeder (forming a part of the magazine portion) has a cam-follower extending from the feeder-slide thereof into operative juxtaposition to the feeder-cam in the printer portion when the magazine portion is operatively connected with the printer portion.

[ Sept. 30, 1975 United States Patent 1 Seidl et al.

LABEL, TICKET AND TAG PRINTER WITH lrinmry Examiner-Llifford D. C'rowder INTERCHANGEABLE TAPE SUPPLY AND Assistant ExzmzinerEdward M. Coven FEEDlNG MAGAZINE Alto/Hey, Agent, or FirmLe0nard L. Kalish [75] Inventors: Maximilian R. Seidl, Munich;

Joachim Seidl, Eching. both of ABSTRACT A label, ticket and ta Germany; Walton M. Henry, Rydal, Pa.

g printing and dispensing machine with readily detachable and attachable inter- [73] Assignee: Avery Products Corporati San h eabl tape supply and feeding magazines. for the optional and selective use of any one of several alter- Julv 9, 1973 native pre-adjusted tape-feeding magazines. each loaded with a roll of a different size or kind of labels,

1 Filed:

tickets or tags. thereby to provide maximum and ready variability and range of tape-supply; with each of the 1 Appl. No.:

several alternative magazines being individually preadjusted for the length and width and other characteristics of the label. ticket or tag and in relation to location of the print-impression of the printer. Each magazine holds a roll of labels, tickets or tags and includes a self-contained tape-feeder for intermittently feedin the tape from the roll in the magazine in label. ticket 56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS or tag lengths in timed relation to the printing sequence of the printer portion. The printer portion inthe feeder-cam in the printer portion when the magazine portion is operatively connected with the printer portion.

en 1 UL LH VoIgt et al Woodie et al.

11 Claims, 41 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Shem 1 of 15 3,908,544

U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet2of 15 3,908,544,

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet3 of 15 3,908,544

3 5 a mmm US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet40f 15 3,908,544

U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet6of 15 3,908,544

Fig. 8.

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975

Sheet 7 0f 15 3,908,544

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 SheetSof 15 3,908,544

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US, Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 11 of 15 Mm t mw l N illlllulii l r lllll: m3

U.S., Patsnt Sept. 30,1975 Sheet130f15 3,9U8fi44 XQ it!!! w mo mm mw ME US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1401 15 3,908,544-

Fig. 33.

Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 15 of 15 3,908,544

[1.8. Patent WWW III;

LABEL, TICKET AND TAG PRINTER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE TAPE SUPPLY AND FEEDING MAGAZINE BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In heretofore conventional label, ticket and tag printing and dispensing machines it is necessary to re-set the machine everytime a different length or width or kind of label, ticket or tag is to be printed, so as to accommodate the machine for the length and width of the label, ticket or tag and for any preprinted text thereon, and also for other variations, such as whether the tape is notched along its edge or edges or whether it has feed-openings midway of its width or whether tape has tag-strings or is without strings, and so on. The machine may also have to be re-adjusted or re-set for different size labels, tickets or tags with different pre-printing thereon, so as to locate the tape in relation to the type chase or in relation to a band-printer-head or other printing elements, so that the imprinting effected by the machine will be in the proper location on the label, ticket or tag of the particular kind or characteristics then desired to be imprinted and dispensed.

Such re-setting or re-adjustment for different width and/or length and for each differently pre-printed label, ticket or tag is not only time-consuming but also requires a fair amount of skill for which the operator must be trained.

The magazine printer and dispenser of the present invention overcomes the aforementioned disadvantanges incident to the frequent change of length and width or other characteristics of the label, ticket or tag to be imprinted.

By the embodiment of present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the roll of tape comprising the successive interconnected labels, tickets or tags (from which the individual label, ticket or tag is subsequently cut or otherwise detached) is loaded into the supply portion or magazine unit of the machine. As many magazine units may be provided for the same printing portion of the machine as there are different sizes and kinds of labels, tickets or tags to be imprinted from time to time. The printer portion and the magazine portion of the machine have quick-attachable and quick-detachable interconnecting means which are the same on all the magazines, so that whichever magazine is attached to the printer portion, the special relationship of the magazine portion to the printer portion will be exactly the same as that of any other magazine with a different label, ticket or tag supply therein.

Each magazine includes its own tape-guides for locating and confining the tape laterally in relation to the printer-head of the printer portion and also with its own intermittent tape-feeder for intermittently feeding predetermined or pre-selected lengths of the tape to correspond to the length of the label, ticket or tag to be cut or otherwise detached from the tape.

The present invention permits each of the several magazines to be kept loaded with a particular size and kind of label, ticket or tag, and with any particular preprinting thereon, and permits the aforementioned adjustments to be made by one specially trained and skilled in making these adjustments, and permits the adjustments to remain intact for the entire roll of such labels, tickets or tags and indeed for successive rolls of the same size and kind of labels, tickets or tags to be loaded into the same magazine when the previous roll has been used up, no matter how often the particular magazine is detached from and re-attached to the printer portion, so that the operators of the machine need not be skilled in making such adjustments in the machine for the different sizes and kinds of labels, tickets or tags and so that the person skilled in making such adjustments is spared of the expenditure of his time and labor repetitively re-adjusting or re-setting the machine each time a different size or kind of label, ticket or tag is to be imprinted by the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a machine representing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the printer portion of said machine, with the magazine portion thereof removed, and ready to receive a magazine portion.

FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of the magazine portion of the machine, shown on a somewhat larger scale.

FIG. 4 represents a front elevational view of the printer portion of the machine, with the front covers removed therefrom.

FIG. 5 represents a vertical cross-sectional view gen erally on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 represents a top plan view of the printing portion of the machine, with the upper magazinesupporting bed-plate and part of the printer-arm and printer-head broken away.

FIG. 7 represents a top plan view of the printer-arm and printer-head carried thereby.

FIG. 8 represents a left side elevational view of the printing portion of the machine, with the left cover removed therefrom.

FIG. 9 represents an elevational view of the cutter linkage shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 represents a left side elevational view of the inker-slide and its actuating means, including the driving cam-groove or race and the cam-follower lever and linkage between the latter and the slide.

FIG. 11 represents another left side elevational view of the inker-slide and its actuating mechanism, showing an alternate linkage between the cam-groove and the slide, for a greater slide-travel than that provided by the linkage shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 represents a left elevational view of the printer-arm and its actuating mechanisms, with a printerhead shown thereon adapted to receive a type-chase.

FIG. 13 represents a rear elevational view of printerhead-mounting member secured to the front end of the printer-arm, viewed on line 1313 of FIG. 12, and shown on a larger scale.

FIG. 14 represents a vertical cross-secti0nal view on line l414 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of the print-impression block and of the cutter-assembly adjustably and detachably mounted thereto, taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 16 represents a vertical cross sectional view on line 16-16 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 represents a vertical cross-sectional view on line 17-17 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17A represents a front elevational view of the cutter-assembly, detached from the print'impression block.

FIG. 17B represents a side elevational view of same, as viewed on line 17B17B of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 17C represents a side elevational view of same, viewed on line l7C-17C of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18 represents a vertical cross-sectional view on line l818 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 19 represents a front elevational view of the main shaft and of the cams and brake thereon.

FIG. 20 represents a front elevational view of the magazine portion of the machine.

FIG. 21 represents an end elevational view of the magazine portion, viewed on line 21-2l of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 represents front elevation view of the feederfinger block and of the tape-check block and of the flat hold-down spring forming parts of the tape-feeder of the magazine.

FIG. 23 represents a top plan view of the magazine portion of the machine.

FIG. 24 represents a fragmentary portion of the top plan view of the tape-feeder, showing the tape-feed bars and the laterally adjustable feeder-fingers thereon, and also showing the hold-down leaf-spring carried thereby.

FIG. 25 represents a vertical cross-sectional view on line 25-25 of FIG. 23, of a tape-feeder adapted for string-tags; taken through the center of the camfollower roller of the tape-feed slider or shuttle.

FIG. 26 represents an end-view of a tape-feeder for labels, tickets and stringless tags, viewed on line 2626 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 27 represents an end elevational view (on an en larged scale) of the shuttle-locator.

FIG. 28 represents a cross-sectional view on line 28-28 of FIG. 27.

FIG. 29 represents an axial cross-section of the hub of the magazine, on line 2929 of FIG. 20.

FIG. 30 represents a cross-sectional view of line 30-30 of FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 represents a front elevational view of the tape-payout or tape-delivery of the printer portion of DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The machine, shown in its entirety in FIG. 1, comprises two co-operative portions, namely, the printer portion P shown in FIG. 2 and the tape magazine-andfeeder portion M shown in FIG. 3 arranged to be cooperatively united with each other as shown in FIG. 1, in a quick-attachable and quick-detachable manner. Such union between the magazine portion and the printer portion is effected by means of the elongated vertical rib 1 extending downwardly from the bottom of the tape-bed (27) of the tape-feeder portion 2 of the magazine M (FIGS. 20 to 26, inclusive). The rib 1 snugly nests in the slot 3 in the magazine-supporting bed-plate 4 forming a part of the cover-like bracket 5 of the printer portion P and by means of the slightly tapered dowel-pin 6 carried by the impression-pad-block 7 (FIG. 2), which dowel-pin 6 enters and snugly nests in the hole 8 in the end of the tape-bed (27) of feeder portion 2 of the magazine M (FIGS. 21 and 26). The rear vertical edge 9 (FIG. 20) of the guide-rib 1 fits snugly against the outer end 10 of the slot 3 (FIG. 2), so that when the magazine M is applied to the printer P with the hole 8 telescoped onto the pin 6 and with the rib 1 allowed to drop into the slot 3, the magazine will be in its predetermined spacial relationship to the printer.

In such position, the cam-follower roller 1 1 (FIG. 25) carried by the tape-feed-slider 12 (FIG. 25 and 23) extends through the clearance 13 between the front edge 14 of the rear top cover 15 and the rear edge 16 of the front cover 4 and enters one of the two cam-grooves or races 17 and 18 in the drum-cam or barrel-cam 19 carried by the main shaft 20 of the machine (FIGS. 2 and 6).

The magazine M includes a back-frame-plate 21 having two upward extensions 22 interconnected by the integral horizontal cross-piece portion 23 disposed at a right-angle to extensions 22. The cross-piece 23 nests in a horizontal slot in the wooden or plastic handle 24 which is secured thereto by one or several screws 25 as indicated in FIGS. 20, 21, 3 and 1.

A downwardly extending flange-like frame plate 26 is generally at a right angle to the rear frame-plate 21 and is formed integrally therewith as indicated in FIGS. 23, 21 and 20. The frame-plate 26 extends forwardly in distance generally equal to the fore-and-aft dimension of the tape-feed mechanism 2 as shown in FIG. 23.

The feed-bed, designated generally by the numeral 27 (FIG. 23), comprises a lower horizontal plate 28 and a upper horizontal plate 29 and a left vertical endplate 30 and a right vertical end-plate 31 and a front vertical plate 32 and a rear vertical plate 33.

A round guide-rod 34 extends through and neatly nests in corresponding holes in the rod-supporting blocks 35 and 36 which are secured to the frame-plate 21 by suitable screws or the like. The guide-rod 34 extends through the frame-plate 26 of the frame portion of the magazine M and also through the end-plate 31 of the tape-feed-bed 27 and extends to the left endplate 30 (FIGS. 23 and 26), and is held thereto by the headed screw 37 whose head bears against the endplate 30 and whose stem is threaded into a threaded axial hole in the end of the guide-rod 34. A headed screw 38 (FIG. 23) extends through the frame-member 26 of the magazine M and is threaded into the vertical end-plate 31 of the tape-feed-bed 27 or into a nut-like stamping within the tape-feed-bed 27 adjacent the inner face of the vertical end-plate 31 of the tape-feedbed 27 (see FIGS. 20, 21, 23 and 25). The combination of the stationary guide-rod 34 and screws 37 and 38 hold the entire tape-feed-bed 27 in assembled relation to the magazine frame plates 22 and 26.

The slider or shuttle 12 (FIGS. 23, 25, 20, 21) has a horizontal hole therethrough, through which the guiderod 34 extends with a neat sliding fit. An intermediate feed'finger-supporting block 40, having a longitudinal channel on the underside thereof, is adjustably secured to top of the slider 12, with the uppermost portion of said slider 12 nesting in said channel, as shown in FIGS. and 21. An elongated opening 41 is provided in the block 40, through which the headed screw 42 extends, with its stem threaded into a corresponding vertical threaded hole in the slider 12, thereby adjustably to secure the block to the slider 12. A steel block 43 is disposed alongside of the upper portion of the slider 12, nested between the downwardly extended flange 44 of the block 40 and the slight shoulder 45 of the slider 12. The block 43 is secured in the block 40 by means of the headed screw 46 which extends through the elongated opening 47 in the block 40 and is threaded-into a vertical hole in the block 43, thereby adjustably securing the block 43 to the block 40. Parallel polished steel rods 48 and 49 are press-fitted into corresponding holes in the rod-block 43 (FIGS. 23, 24 and 25) with their outer ends interconnected by the bridging plate 50. The end of the rod 48 extends forwardly beyond the bridging plate 50 and has a roller 51 revolvably mounted thereon. The roller 51 extends into channel member 52 carried by the front plate 32 of the tapefeed-bed 27, thereby to support the front ends of the finger-carrying rods 48 and 49 (FIGS. 24 and 25).

A pair of finger-blocks 55 and 56, with parallel holes therethrough corresponding to the rods 48 and 49, are slidably mounted on said rods, with their positions thereon adjustable and set in their adjusted positions by set-screws 53. Each of the finger-blocks 55 and 56 carries the two different kinds of tape-feed fingers 57 and 58, namely, the diamond-ended fingers 57 and the flat-ended fingers 58; each biased in a downwardly direction by means of leaf springs or other suitable springs. The fingers 57 are adapted to engage in the V- shaped notches along the edges of the tape (where such tape is provided with such notches), while the fingers 58 are adapted to engage in slots disposed intermediate the edges of the tape (where the tape is provided with such slots). In either case, one of the pair of fingers 57 or one of the pair of fingers 58 may be de-activated, by raising it into its inoperative position, with the aforementioned leaf spring folding it in its inoperative position by bearing against it suitable flat on the pivoted end of the finger.

The adjustments by means of the screw 42 in the slot 41 and further adjustment by means of the screw 46 in the slot 47 serve to adjust the fingers (57 or 58) so that at the end of the feed-stroke of the slider 12, the leading edge of the label, ticket or tag will be at the appropriate imprinting position, for receiving the imprint from the type-chase or band type printer in proper relation to the label, ticket or tag and for cutting off such label, ticket or tag at the proper point (where the same are to be cut off by the cutter mechanism shown in FIGS. 8, 9, 15, 16 and 17, as described hereinafter).

A pair of parallel horizontal guide-rods 60 and 61 extend between and are secured to the front and back vertical plates or flanges 32 and 33 of the tape-feeder bed 27 (FIGS. 20, 23 and 24). A pair of tape-guides 64 and 65 are adjustably mounted on the rod 61 and are provided with set-screws for securing them in their desired positions along the edges of the tape, to determine the position of the tape in relation to the printing-head of the machine.

A spring-carriage 66 is adjustably mounted on the two rods 60 and 61 and its held in its adjusted position by a set screw 67. The carriage 66 carries a flat leaf spring 68 extending leftwardly thereof, parallel to the tape-pass and bearing down on top of the tape with sufficient pressure and over a sufficient length of the tape to keep the tape from buckling during the course of the feeding thereof. A tape-check 69 is pivotally mounted on the rod 61, with a downwardly extending toe portions thereof urged against the upper surface of the tape by a spring and so arranged as to permit the tape to be advanced past the tape-check but as to prevent the tape from backing up in the reverse direction.

A shuttle-locator 72 is slidably mounted on the guide-rod 34, to the right of the slider or shuttle 12 (FIGS. 20, 23, 27 and 28) and has a locating pin 77 which is dropped into either one of the holes 78 and 79 in the rod 34, according to whether the cam-followerroller 11 of the shuttle 12 is to be in cam-race 17 or in cam-race 18 (FIG. 6).

A shuttle-retracting rod 73 extends through the frame-plate 26 and through a vertical clearance slot 71 in the shuttle-locator 72, and has its left end threaded into or otherwise anchored to the shuttle or slider 12. A helical compression spring 75 is mounted on the shuttle-retracting rod 73 between the frame-plate 26 and a suitable spring-abutment 74 on the right-hand end of the rod 73 (as indicated in FIG. 20) so as to urge the rod 73 in the direction of the arrow 76 (FIG. 20). By this means, the shuttle 12 is moved in the direction of the arrow 76 against the shuttle-locator 72 whenever the machine is stopped by the de-activation of the clutch 261 (FIGS. 37, 4, 6 and 9).

As the de-activation of the clutch 261 (FIGS. 37, 4, 6 and 9) always stops the printer P (FIG. 2) at the same point of its cycle, the cam-follower-roller 11 of the ticket-feed shuttle 12 will be so located that if any magazine M (FIG. 3) is at any time removed from the printer and later re-applied thereto, the cam-follower-roller l 1 will enter the same cam race as that in which it had been disposed prior to the removal of the magazine, as required by the ticket-length of the tape in the magazine. By raising the shuttle-locator 72 and dropping the pin 77 thereof into one of the holes 78 the cam-follower-roller 11 will be located for cam-groove 17, while by dropping the pin 77 in the hole 79 the cam-followerroller 11 will be located for the cam-groove 18.

By way of illustration, the cam-groove 17 has a throw of l-l/16 inches and the cam-groove 18 has a throw of 2-1/16 inches. The extra 1/16 inch in the throw of each cam-groove 17 and 18 is to provide an override above the respective maximum 1 inch and 2 inch tape-feed lengths, to insure the engagement of the notch or hole in the tape by the feed-fingers 57 or 58 when set for the maximum 1 inch or the 2 inch ticket-lengths, respectively.

By means of the screws 42 and 46, the position of the finger-rod-carrying block 43 is so adjusted in relation to the print-impression pad or platten 205 of the printer (FIG. 2) that the label, ticket or tag will be properly located in relation to the type-chase or band-printer carried by the printer-head (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5).

The tape-feeder-fingers (57 and 58) ride freely over the upper surface of the label until they drop into and engage in the next notch or hole therein, and from that point on the fingers feed the tape an amount or length which is equal to the rest of the finger-travel from such engagement-point to the end of the finger-travel provided by the throw of the cam-race 17 or the cam-race 18.

A separate type-chase may be provided for each tape supplying and feeding magazine M, so that by inserting the type-chase having type set therein corresponding to the particular magazine, no adjustment is necessary of the tape-feed-fingers or of the lateral tape-guides or of the cam-groove selector because all these adjustments or settings remain intact no matter how often the same magazine (and its corresponding type-chase) is removed from the re-applied to the printer portion P of the machine.

If a band-printer is mounted to the mounting-plate secured to the front end of the pivoted printer-arm 131 (in place of chase-carrying the printer-head 195), it is only necessary to dial the various type-bands thereof according to the imprinting required for the particular label, ticket or tag for which the particular magazine is loaded, and such band-settings or the imprinting required for such magazine can be marked on casing, housing, frame or handle of the magazine.

A horizontal and generally cylindrical tape-roll-hub 81 is revolvably mounted to the back-frame-plate 21 of the magazine in the manner indicated in FIGS. 29, 23, 20, 3. The hub 81 has a cylindrical hole 82 therein, and a smaller-diametered co-axial hole 83 extending from the inner end of the hole 82 through the rear end of the hub 81, thereby providing a shoulder between set two holes or bores. A headed pivot 84 extends through the smaller diametered hole or bore 83, with its head bearing against the shoulder between the two bores, and the threaded reduced-diameter rear end of the pivot 84 extends through the back-frame-plate 21 of the magazine and has a nut 85 threaded thereon, whereby the hub 81 is secured to the frame-plate 21. The tape-roll-hub 81 is revolvable on the pivot 84 (FIG. 29).

A spiral groove 86 is provided in the outer surface of the hub 81, as indicated in FIG. 29. A largerdiametered hub 87 has a bore therethrough which neatly fits over the hub 81. The hub 87 is mounted on the hub 81 in either of two alternative ways. It can be mounted in the manner indicated in FIGS. 23 and 29, with its flange'portion 88 disposed forwardly of the hub 87. In this disposition or mounting of the hub 87, a roll of tape having a small center opening or core-size is adapted neatly to fit over the smaller diameter of the hub 81, is placed over the hub 81 with its back face against the flange-portions 88, and with its front face retained by the pivotally-mounted and spring-biased and retainer-arms 89 described hereinafter. If the roll of tape has a central opening or hub-receiving opening of the diameter of the larger hub 87, then the hub 87 is reversed on the hub 81, so that the flange-portions 88 thereof are rearwardly of the hub 87, and the roll of tape is mounted on the hub 87 (which is now forwardly of the flange 88 thereof), and such roll of tape is retained between the flange 87 and the spring-biased pivotally-mounted retainer-arms 89.

The hub 87 has a suitable spring-urged detent or balllike detent 91 mounted in a radial hole therein. Thus the ball and spring may be operatively mounted in a small tubular brass housing which is pressed-fitted into the radial hole in the hub. The detent-ball 91 rides in the spiral groove 86, so that by turning the outer hub 87 in relation to the inner hub 81, the largerdiametered outer hub 87 can be located anywhere along the smaller diametered inner hub 81 within the axial extent of the spiral groove 86. This pennits the accommodation of different widths of tape-rolls, and also permits the variation of the axial location of tape-roll so as to place it in operative alignment with the type in the type-chase or with the type faces of the bandprinter carried by the printer-arm 131. See FIGS. 23, 29 and 30.

The outer retainer-arms 89 are pivotally mounted to a retainer-block 94, about the pivot pins 95. The retainer block 94 is secured to a cylindrical plunger or plug 96 by means of a suitable co-axial screw 93, and between the plug 96 and the block 94 a leaf-spring 97 is mounted, overlapping the flat on the pivoted ends of the retainer-arms 89, thereby to retain said arms in their extended or operative position unless the arms are bent forwardly (against the force of the leaf-spring 97) until the leaf-spring bears against the flat inner ends of the arms, in which position the spring 97 will keep the arms extended parallel to the axis of the hub 81.

Diametrically opposite slots 98 are provided in the outer end of the hub 81, to the point at which the outer end of the spiral-groove 86 terminates. These slots 98 are of a width less than the diameter of the bore 82 in the hub 81 and of such width as to accommodate the retainer-block 94. The plug 96 has a radially-acting spring-loaded detent-ball 99 mounted therein, bearing against the inner surface of the bore 82 in the hub 81, so as to retain the plug 96 and the outwardly-extended retainer-arms 89 in any desired axially-variable position, namely, in a position in which the retainer-arms bear suitable against the outer face of the tape-roll and confine it neatly between said arms and the flange 88 of the outer hub 87. See FIGS. 20, 23, 29 and 30.

A slack-roller 101 is rovolvably mounted upon a pivot 102 mounted to the upper end of the rocker-arm 103, as indicated in FIGS. 20 and 23. The rocker-arm 103 is pivoted at 104 to the rear frame-plate 21. The lower arm 105 of the rocker-arm 103 is provided with a series of holes (FIG. 20) into one of which the upper end of the helical tension spring 106 is anchored, with the lower end thereof anchored to any suitable springanchorage 107 carried by the rear frame-plate 21, thereby to urge the slack-roller 101 in the direction of the arrow 108. By looping the tape around the roller 101, as it passes from the roll thereof on its way to the tape-feed-bed 27 (FIGS. 1, 20 and 23) a suitable amount of slack is always provided in the tape, between the roll thereof and the feed-fingers (57 or 58), so that when the feed-fingers engage the tape and advance it, such advancement will not be opposed by the inertia of the entire tape-roll, but such advancement can be from the slack in the tape.

The printer-arm 131 (FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and 12) includes two spaced'apart arm portions or webs 131-a and 131- b, and has the pivot-ears or portions 132-a and 132-b at the rear end thereof. The rear end (132) of the printer-arm 131 is pivotally mounted ot the top of the rear end of the printer-frame 133, by means of the pivot 134 which extends through the rear-most pivot-portions 135-a and 135-b of said printer-frame 133.

The printer-frame 133 includes two spaced-apart longitudinal frame portions 133-0 and 133-b at the top thereof, and includes a lower base portion 133-c se- 

1. A ticket printing machine including (P) a unitary printer portion and (M) a readily attachable and detachable unitary ticket-feeder magazine portion, and (Q) means for permitting the quick interconnection of the printer portion and the ticket-feeder magazine portion in operative juxtaposition to each other and for permitting the quick disconnection of said portions from each other, said printer portion (P) including (P-1) a print-impression platen and (P-2) a printer-head in operative, juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and (P-3) cyclical ticket-feeder drive-means adapted for operative engagement with the below-mentioned driven member (M-5), said ticket-feeder magazine (M) including (M-1) a ticket-supply holder and (M-2) a ticket-feeder arranged intermittently to feed successive tickets from said ticket-supply-holder to said print-iMpression platen, and (M-3) means for longitudinally adjusting said ticket-feeder so as to locate the successive tickets fed thereby in operative juxtaposition to the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-4) lateral-guiding means and means for permitting the lateral adjustment thereof for laterally locating the tickets in operative alignment with the type carried by said printerhead, and (M-5) a driven member associated with said ticket-feeder and arranged for operative engagement with the aforementioned ticket-feeder drive-means (P-3) when the ticket-feeder magazine portion is operatively interconnected with the printer portion.
 2. A ticket printing machine including (P) a unitary printer portion and (M) a readily attachable and detachable unitary ticket-tape-feeder magazine portion, and (Q) means for permitting the quick interconnection of the printer portion and the ticket-feeder magazine portion in operative juxtaposition to each other and for permitting the quick disconnection of said portions from each other, said printer portion (P) including (P-1) a print-impression platen and (P-2) a printer-head in operative juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and (P-3) cyclical tape-feeder drive-means adapted for operative engagement with the below-mentioned driven member (M-5), said tape-feeder magazine (M) including (M-1) a ticket-tape holder and (M-2) a tape-feeder arranged intermittently to feed successive ticket-lengths of the tape from the roll thereof to said print-impression platen, and said tape in operative juxtaposition to the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-4) lateral tape-guiding means and means for permitting the lateral adjustment thereof for laterally locating the tape in operative alignment with the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-5) a driven member with said tape-feeder and arranged for operative engagement with the aforementioned tape-feeder drive-means (P-3) when the tape-feeder magazine portion is operatively interconnected with the printer portion.
 3. A ticket printing machine according to claim 2, including a tape-cutter having a stationary knife and a movable knife and means for cyclically actuating the movable knife in synchronism with the cyclical tape-feed drive-means, said tape-cutter being adjustable in a direction parallel with the tape-travel path for varying the distance of the cut-off line in relation to the print-impression platen.
 4. A ticket printing machine including (P) a unitary printer portion and (M) a readily attachable and detachable unitary ticket-feeder magazine portion, and (Q) means for permitting the quick interconnection of the printer portion and the ticket-feeder magazine portion in operative juxtaposition to each other and for permitting the quick disconnection of said portions from each other, said printer portion (P) including (P-1) a print-impression platen and (P-2) a printer-head in operative juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and (P-3) cyclical ticket-feeder drive-means adapted optionally to impart any one of several different lengths of feeder-motion to the below-mentioned driven member (M-5), said ticket-feeder magazine (M) including (M-1) a ticket-supply holder and (M-2) a ticket-feeder arranged intermittently to feed successive tickets in a rectilinear path from said ticket-supply-holder to said print-impression platen, and (M-3) means for longitudinally adjusting said ticket-feeder for different ticket-lengths so as to enable it to locate tickets of different lengths in operative juxtaposition to the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-4) lateral ticket-guiding means and means for permitting the lateral adjustment thereof for laterally locating the tickets in operative alignment with the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-5) a driven member associated with said Ticket-feeder and arranged for alternative operative engagements with the aforementioned ticket-feeder drive-means (P-3) for alternative lengths of feeder-motions when the ticket-feeder magazine portion is operatively interconnected with the printer portion.
 5. A ticket printing machine including (P) a unitary printer portion and (M) a readily attachable and detachable unitary ticket-tape-feeder magazine portion, and (Q) means for permitting the quick interconnection of the printer portion and the ticket-feeder magazine portion in operative juxtaposition to each other and for permitting the quick disconnection of said portions from each other, said printer portion (P) including (P-1) a print-impression platen and (P-2) a printer-head in operative juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and (P-3) cyclical tape-feeder drive-means adapted optionally to impart any one of several different lengths of feeder-motion to the below-mentioned driven member (M-5), said tape-feeder magagine (M) including (M-1) a ticket-tape holder and (M-2) a tape-feeder arranged intermittently to feed successive ticket-lengths of tape from the roll in said ticket-tape-roll holder to said print-impression platen, and (M-3) means for longitudinally adjusting said tape-feeder for different ticket-lengths of tape, so as to enable it to locate tickets of different lengths in operative juxtaposition to the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-4) lateral tape-guiding means and means for permitting the lateral adjustment thereof for laterally locating the tape in operative alignment with the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-5) a driven member associated with said tape-feeder and arranged for allternative operative engagements with the aforementioned tape-feeder drive-means (P-3) for alternative lengths of feeder-motions when the tape-feeder magazine portion is operatively interconnected with the printer portion.
 6. A ticket printing machine according to claim 5, including a tape-cutter having a stationary knife and a movable knife and means for cyclically actuating the movable knife in synchronism with the cyclical tape-feed drive-means, said tape-cutter being adjustable in a direction parallel with the tape-travel path for varying the distance of the cut-off line in relation to the print-impression platen.
 7. A ticket printing machine including (P) a unitary printer portion and (M) a readily attachable and detachable unitary ticket-feeder magazine portion, and said printer portion (P) including (P-1) a print-impression platen (P-2) a printer-head in operative juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and means for cyclically moving said printer-head through successive printing strokes thereof, (P-3) cyclical ticket-feeder drive-means synchronized with the strokes of the printer-head and adapted for operative engagement with the below-mentioned driven member (M-5) and for imparting feeder-motion to the below-mentioned ticket-feeder (M-2), and (P-4) means for supporting the below-mentioned ticket-feeder (M-2), said ticket-feeder magazine (M) including (M-1) a ticket-supply holder and (M-2) a ticket-feeder extending laterally from said holder and resting on said support (P-4) and arranged to intermittently feed successive tickets from said ticket-supply-holder to said print-impression platen, and (M-3) means for longitudinally adjusting said ticket-feeder so as to locate the successive tickets fed thereby in operative juxtaposition to the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-4) lateral ticket-guiding means and means for permitting the lateral adjustment thereof for laterally locating the tickets in operative alignment with the type carried by said printer-head, and (M-5) a driven member associated with said ticket-feeder and arranged for operative engagement with the aforementioned tickEt-feeder drive-means (P-3) when the ticket-feeder magazine portion is operatively interconnected with the printer portion, and quick-connect and quick-disconnect means for holding said ticket-feeder (M-2) to the aforementioned support (P-4) and for preventing its horizontal displacement thereon.
 8. A ticket printing machine including (P) a unitary printer portion and (M) a readily attachable and detachable unitary ticket-tape-feeder magazine portion, said printer portion (P) including (P-1) a print-impression platen and (P-2) a printer-head in operative juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and (P-3) cyclical tape-feeder drive-means adapted for operative engagement with the below-mentioned driven member (M-5) and for imparting feeder-motion to the below-mentioned tape-feeder (M-2), and (P-4) means for supporting the below-mentioned tape-feeder (M-2), said tape-feeder magazine (M) including (M-1) a ticket-tape holder and (M-2) a tape-feeder extending outwardly from said tape holder and resting on said support (P-4) and arranged to intermittently feed successive ticket-lengths of the tape from said tape-roll holder to said print-impression platen, and (M-5) a driven member associated with said tape-feeder and arranged for operative engagement with the aforementioned tape-feeder drive-means (P-3) when the tape-feeder magazine portion is operatively interconnected with the printer portion, and quick-connect and quick-disconnect means for holding said ticket-feeder (M-2) to the aforementioned support (P-4) and for preventing its horizontal displacement thereon.
 9. A ticket printing machine according to claim 8, including a tape-cutter having a stationary knife and a movable knife and means for cyclically actuating the movable knife in synchronism with the cyclical tape-feed drive-means, said tape-cutter being adjustable in a direction parallel with the tape-travel path for varying the distance of the cut-off line in relation to the print-impression platen.
 10. A unitary ticket-printer adapted to have any one of several interchangeable and quick-attachable and quick-detachable unitary ticket-supply-and-feeder magazines optionally mounted thereto and demounted therefrom, which magazines include a ticket-feeder driven-member arranged to be operatively interengaged with the below-mentioned ticket-feed driving means of the ticket-printer, said ticket-printer including a print-impression platen, a printer-head in operative juxtaposition thereto for carrying type, and means for cycling said printer-head through printing cycles, said ticket-printer further including ticket-feed driving-means synchronized with the printing cycle thereof and arranged to actuate the ticket-feeder of such magazine when the magazine is operatively mounted to the ticket-printer; said ticket-printer including means for quick-attachable and quick-detachable engagement with one of said magazines.
 11. A ticket-printer according to claim 10, including means to support the magazine by having the tape-feeder thereof rest thereon, and quick-connect and quick-disconnect means for holding such tape-feeder to said support and for preventing its horizontal displacement thereon. 